CHANDIGARH: India’s most wanted terrorist Shahid Latif of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, who was the mastermind of the 2016 Pathankot Air Force Station attack, was shot dead by three gunmen outside a mosque at Daska town in Sialkot of Pakistan. He was wanted by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) in an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case.
Three motorcycle-borne men fired indiscriminately killing Latif, who was coming out of the mosque after prayers. His brother Haris Hashim was also killed on the spot and another person was injured, said sources, and added that Latif had been involved in planning, facilitation and execution of terror attacks in India. Latif, 53, was also known as Bilal alias Noor Al Din.
He had infiltrated into the Kashmir valley in 1993 and was arrested in 1994 from Jammu. Latif was in the Jammu jail with Masood Azhar, founder of Jaish, till 2010. He played a pivotal role in orchestrating the Pathankot attack on January 2, 2016 where seven IAF personnel were killed after four Jaish terrorists sneaked into the airbase. The siege went on for three days.
Latif hailed from Aminabad in Gujranwala of Punjab in Pakistan and he was charge-sheeted by NIA along with Jaish founder Masood Azhar for carrying out the attack on the Pathankot airbase. In its chargesheet, the NIA had stated that Latif along with other Jaish members shared the map of the airbase with the attackers and said the base was vulnerable due to its location around forests. Latif was among those whose release was sought by the hijackers of the Indian Airlines flight IC814 in 1999. The demand was rejected.
UPA released Latif from prison as a gesture
Latif, who spent 16 years in Indian jail was released by UPA as a goodwill gesture in 2010. After release, he was deported to Pakistan via Wagah border. He played a main role in organising the Pathankot attack that killed seven airmen when four terrorists sneaked into the airbase. The siege went on for three days